Shopping Moving Towards VR

You wear your Virtual Reality Gadget and walk into a store. You check around and find a table you like. You unfold information about the table; color, price, and how long it will take to arrive at your location. You tap your head and order the table. You get your table within four days.

This an information rich, convenient and detailed experience that Virtual Reality Shopping can provide. The best example would be Amazon merging with an online VR shopping center. All thanks to apps and compatible headsets; VR shopping is moving towards a better future.

Virtual Reality is changing online shopping

Gadgets such as Oculus Rift are already in the market, and they can make it possible. VR devices integrated with simpler and affordable offerings from Samsung and Google can open doors for many merchants and customers. Using current technology, it is possible to make VR shopping centers, but it will be limited to luxury class people because of high price tag.

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At the moment, major example of VR shopping that utilize 360 video is “The Apartment”. It allow customers from across the globe to find detail of products that they want to buy.

VR technology can also be seen in Tommy Hilfiger’s “VR Catwalk Experience”. It is one of a kind retail store with modern settings.

It is just the beginning, and more can be done to bring VR shopping to a whole new level. There are some stores adopting VR technology. Currently, Westfield shopping center in London is working on VR technology; it will allow customers to visualize their preferences. They are making it possible with the help of clothing scans and full body scans.

Virtual Reality Shopping Stores

These stores are interesting and they can prove to be fun when made available to a large audience. Looking at the current VR shopping stores, they have been successful to a certain level. A company named VR specialists Rewind, created a VR environment for Lexus; it enable customers to configure NX as per their specifications, and then take it to a test drive.

Shopping apps are helping merchants to take VR shopping towards an interesting direction. If we can combine Westfield’s VR integration with VR showrooms, then we can make VP shopping more eye catching. Merchants can put a range of items in their stores to target customers from around the world.

Other Technological Advances in Online Shopping

There are many technologies that can be utilize to make online shopping easier and close to real world. Scanners and RFID tags can help merchants to change the way customers purchase. Tracking technology gives shop owners a detailed insight into client preferences.

The difference between VR and emerging technologies is that; VR is something that people want to use. While technologies such as CCTV tracking and POS might make things easier for merchants. Clients will be hardly petitioning stores to use these.

Ericsson ConsumerLab was able to carry out a research which suggested that 64% of people are interested in VR shopping. Customers usually face issues such as not be able to visualize items when shopping online. Myf Ryan of Westfield shopping center said this technology is “Making products and environments more real for [customers].” If this is what customers want then it is not far when VR shopping will take over the future of retail.

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